The Untouchables – Sean Connery

The Weather Man – Michael Caine

He is one of Britain’s greatest actors, and his accent has been mimicked by millions – but when it comes to trying an American one of his own, for the 2005 film The Weather Man, things are looking gloomy with a chance of ridicule.

Mary Poppins – Dick van Dyke

It’s not just British actors that struggle with accents. Second in the aforementioned Empire poll was another accent suggested by Channel 4 News social media users – the notorious cockney accent used by American actor Dick van Dyke in Disney’s Mary Poppins.

Ocean’s Eleven – Don Cheadle

“Leave it aaaat” Don Cheadle exclaims. No, he is not appearing in an episode of Eastenders, but the star-packed 2001 movie Ocean’s Eleven. In 2008, Mr Cheadle apologised for the accent attempt, joking: “Forgive me! I won’t do it again!”

Robin Hood – Russell Crowe

Someone who didn’t take criticism of his accent in such a light-hearted manner was Australian actor Russell Crowe, for his English accent in Robin Hood.

Mr Crowe walked out of a Radio 4 interview after interviewer Mark Lawson suggested the accent had “hints” of Irish in it.

Braveheart – Mel Gibson

As an Australian actor criticised for a UK accent, Mr Crowe is not alone. Mel Gibson’s Scottish accent has been described as “trans-Gaelic”. It didn’t stop the film picking up a host of Oscars, however – with Gibson himself picking up the best director gong. For some reason he was not nominated for best actor.

Bram Stoker’s Dracula – Keanu Reeves

Another Hollywood A-lister on the Channel 4 News list is Keanu Reeves. Whilst we believe Mr Reeves has sometimes been on the wrong end of unfair criticism for his acting abilities (Point Break is clearly a masterpiece), we have to agree that his English accent for Francis Ford Coppola’s 1992 adaption of the classic vampire tale is “bloody” suspect.

Frasier – Anthony Lapaglia

And of course it is not just films where unusual accents surface. Joining David Tennant in the club of dodgy US television accents is Anthony Lapaglia for his take on “cockney” as Daphne Moon’s brother in Frasier.